What concept in psychology refers to the process of learning through rewards and penalties?

Operant conditioning is a fundamental concept in psychology that describes how behavior is influenced by the consequences that follow it—specifically, rewards and penalties. This learning process involves reinforcing desirable behaviors to increase their occurrence and punishing undesirable behaviors to decrease them.

In operant conditioning, a behavior that is followed by a positive reinforcer is more likely to be repeated, whereas a behavior followed by a punishment is less likely to occur again. This principle was extensively studied by B.F. Skinner, who conducted experiments demonstrating how animals and humans learn to associate specific actions with specific outcomes.

This concept is distinct from other psychological ideas. For example, cognitive dissonance relates to the discomfort felt when holding conflicting beliefs or attitudes, which can affect behavior but is not primarily about rewards and penalties. The humanistic approach focuses on individual potential and stresses the importance of growth and self-actualization, rather than mechanisms of behavior influenced by reward and punishment. Behaviorism, while broadly related to the study of observable behavior, encompasses theories beyond just operant conditioning, including classical conditioning, which relies on association rather than consequences.

Thus, operant conditioning specifically highlights the role of rewards and penalties in shaping behavior, which accurately reflects the essence of the question.